The Ministry of Justice has asked for €35.000 to cover the operation of a delinquent drivers’ training school for a period of six months.The parliament recently voted the bill to set up the school which is expected to start operating in early 2019.
Justice Minister Ionas Nicolaou stated that a headmaster of the school who will prepare the courses attended by the drivers, will be hired first. The lessons will be tailor-made for each driver’s infractions and traffic violations. Psychologists, sociologists and people who will deliver practical driving lessons will be hired as teachers.
The school will determine how many hours of training drivers will need in order to fulfil their obligations.
Under the law, a driver who collects 12 penalty points will automatically be sent to the ‘school’ for road safety awareness. If the driver chooses not to attend the classes, then she or he will have to face trial. Also, a driver who collects ten penalty points will be able to request that he attend a course so that his/her points may be cleared.
According to the Justice Ministry, the school will contribute to the development of skills such as self-control, perception of threats, risk assessment and risk management and promote participation in counselling programmes, where necessary. The general objectives of the school are to educate and train offenders, to correct wrong attitudes manifesting themselves in dangerous driving and to strengthen the drivers’ sense of social responsibility.
